Timber plate girder



NOV. 28, 1944. R BUTLR I 2,363,568

TIMBER PLATE GIRDER Filed May 4, 1942 Patented Nev. 28.1944

STATES vrar 'My invention relates to a new and useful imyprovementin a timber plate girder adapted for `uae `in construction purposes `for spanningmoderatelywidedistances between supports for the .Ivmrposes of` carrying roof or floorloads;

Itisan objectof thepresentinvention to provide a girder formed from timberfand so constructed and arranged that it will resemble, in

`cross 'sectlonalarea the well known steel I beam Ithelunotions thereof. i l i It `is another object of lthe `present invention and lbe adapted `to perform `substantially allfof Eto provide a" timber plate girder formedifrom Yseveral partsand so constructed and arranged `that `thecompressive and tensonal stresses are transferred from one `part to the other and neu- 'tralired` atiany point along the entire'horizontal surface` atwhich a load maybe applied. i

Anotheri object ofthe invention is the provision of a timber plate girder of this class having an upper cord and a lower cord connected by a panel and so constructed and arranged that the normal shearing actionon a girder, at the support, is relieved through the transference of `tensional stresses from` the lower` cord to the upper cord.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a girder formed fromtimber and so constructed and arranged that it very closely approaches in size, load bearing capacity and Weight a steel girder formed from I beam. Another object of the invention is the provision of a timber plate girder formed from timber and` so arranged and constructed that a maximum` strength, minimum weight, compactness and neatness in appearance is obtained as well as ease in handling while erecting.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.V t It is recognized that variations and modifications may be made in the .detail of structure i1- lustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended that such variations and modifications may be embraced within the claims which form a part hereof.

Forming a part of this specification is a drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the invention, with parts broken away and parts removed. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional View taken on line 2`2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken` on substan- `tial1yline`3`3 of Fig. 1. t

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 5 is acrosssectional View of a slightly modified form of theinvention.`

`Atvthenends of thegirderfare Lagonally `directedbraces 120 -which serve `as a t means "for connecting the upper .cords or rails` J9 and liwith -thelowerfcords "or rails `M and l5. 1i/fetal` straps lfand 2f! :serve to" connect oppor` t tenias. (ctn-na 4As shown in theidrawing, `I provide a pair of t upper cords orrails 19 and Illllfiormed from wood.

'Ihese cords or rails `Blandv vlli are boltedtogether by the boltsill in clamping relation along the upper edge `lof. apar'1e1 l2- rIlliis panel l2 is formedfrom veneer wood. Bolted bythe bolts I3 in clamping relation alongithe lower edge of the `panel I2arefthejlowerqcords orrails I4 and I5. .At `the meeting edges of the panel `sections are securedweb stflenersf IIB .and l1 held in clamping relation to the panel meeting edgesbytth'e` bolts I8. At their meeting edgeatheirails 9,10, I4, Aand i5 are'` secured by overflappng reinforc-` t site ends of the braces I I to the structure.

As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the purlines 23 rest upon the upper face of the lower cord I3 or |4` and secured to this cord or rail is a metal angle clip 24 which is also bolted or otherwise secured to the purln. i

In this way, I have provided a `girder` formed from wood and having substantially the lightness and strength of a steel I beam. Itis so conand l5 to the upper cords or rails. Because of the on the girder at any point, the stresses on the girder are distributed so' that there is never a localization of stresses at any one point.

` In Fig. 5, I have shown a modified form of the construction adapting the same `to use as a column or supporting standard. In this construction I have used `a pair of panels l2 clamped against a centralcord or girder 33 by means of the outer cords or girders 9', I0', I4' and l5. The construction is substantially the same as shown in Fig. 1` but the illustration in Fig. 5 indicates that the construction may be used in units to provide any size or strength desired. t

What I claim as new is: 1. A timber plate girder comprising an elongated panel of veneer wood; a pair of rails mounted on the opposite longitudinal edges of Ami" @Fmry provided the disaid panel; means for securing said rails ln clamping relation to said panel; and diagonally extending braces on opposite ends of said structure secured to the face of said panel and projecting upwardly from the lower edge thereof and outwardly toward the ends thereof.

2. A timber plate girder of the class described comprising a plurality of elongated veneer Wood panels abutted together at adjacent ends; means for securing said panels together at the abutting ends; a plurality of rails abutted together at their adjacent ends and lying along the longitudinal edges of said panels in engagement with the faces of said panel and projecting outwardly therefrom, said rails being positioned along said edges at opposite sides oi said panel; and securing means projected through said rails and through said panel for clamping said rails against said panel; and diagonally extending members on opposite ends of said structure for transferring strains and stresses and projecting upwardly from the lower edge of said panel. 3. A timber plate girder of the class describe comprising a plurality of elongated veneer wood panels abutted together at adjacent ends; means for securing said panels together at the abutting ends; a plurality of rails abutted together at their adjacent ends and lying along the longitudinal edges of said panels in engagement with the faces of said panel and projecting outwardly therefrom, said rails being positioned along said edges at opposite sides of said panel; securing means projected through said rails and through said panel for clamping said rails against said panel; diagonally extending members on opposite ends. of said structure for transferring strains and stresses and projecting upwardly from the lower edge of said structure and outwardly toward the ends thereof and means for securing said rails at their abutting ends in xed relation to each other, said means embodying a strap secured to said rails and overlying the abutting ends.

4. A timber plate girder comprisingan elon gated panel of veneer wood; a pair of rails mounted on the vopposite longitudinal edges of said panel on opposite faces thereof, the pair of rails at each edge being in alignment with each other; means for securing aligned rails in clamping relation to said panel; and diagonally extended braces mounted on opposite faces of said panel and projecting upwardly from the lower edge thereof, and outwardly toward the ends thereof and abutting at their opposite ends with the faces of said rails.

5. A construction of the class described comprising at least a pair of elongated veneer wood panels positioned in parallel, spaced relation and at least three rails extended along the longitudinal edges of said panels, one of said rails being positioned between said lpanels and the two outermost rails engaging opposite faces of said panels; means for securing said rails and said panels in clamping relation; and diagonally extending braces mounted on said' structure and projecting upwardly from the lower edges thereof and outwardly towards the ends thereof.

y 6. A construction of the class described comprising an elongated panel of veneer Wood; a pair 

